Pediatria pre prax 5/2016

Eating disorders, the pitfalls of the diagnostics and treatment

Eating disorders belong to the most serious mental illness in children. The disease incidence is between 0.3-3%. Experts agree on the multifactorial etiopathology, more research is devoted to the study of risk factors for the development of the disease. International Classification of Diseases defines two basic eating disorders: Anorexia nervosa (AN) and Bulimia nervosa (BN) and its atypical forms. Diagnostics of anorexia and bulimia in children is different from the diagnostics of the disease in adult life. Both forms of the disease are often associated with comorbid psychiatric disorders, most frequent is a mood disorder. Recent studies provide the evidence of the occurrence of cognitive deficits. There is also serious risk of somatic consequences on the health of the child. Treatment must be complex. There must be given an equal importance to the re-establishment of the ideal weight, to the recovery from the effects of somatic disorders and to the restoration of eating habits, attitudes to nutrition, to weight and to the appearance.

Keywords: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, alexithymia, cognitive deficits, complex treatment